How to Connect a Microphone to a Computer

There are a number of different ways to connect a microphone to your computer. Your method of choice largely depends on what you intend to use the microphone for. In this article, I will introduce a number of different ways you can connect a mic to your computer.

1. The Microphone Port on Your Computer

Most computers have a pink microphone port. You can connect a microphone to this port using a microphone that has a 1/8″ TRS jack. Keep in mind that most studio and live performance grade microphones require that you use an XLR cable, and most computers do not have an XLR port, so you will need to use a converter if you want to connect with XLR or 1/4″ TRS jacks.

Though this is a very direct way of connecting a microphone to a computer, you should not expect to be able to get the best quality sound from this method.

2. The USB Port on Your Computer

Of course! It doesn’t get much easier than this. Find yourself a nice USB microphone and away you go. The Blue Microphones Snowball (affiliate link) is a popular and reliable choice for voice (it isn’t necessarily the best option for instruments or vocals though).

You can also use external devices such as the M-Audio M-Track Portable USB Interface (affiliate link). These types of devices connect to your computer via the USB port, and your microphone would connect to the device itself using an XLR cable. This is generally a good option if you want to get better quality audio.

3. The FireWire Port on Your Computer

Much like USB, there are a number of FireWire devices that can be used to connect microphones to your computer. These devices are usually found in recording studios, but you can nevertheless find relatively affordable products for home use too.

Unless you’re looking to record eight tracks simultaneously, you don’t need anything too fancy or expensive. Something like the Apogee Duet FireWire Audio Interface Breakout Box (affiliate link) should do the trick. One of the advantages of the Apogee Duet is that it also allows you to connect instruments with its two 1/4″ inputs.

Be forewarned; some computers do not have a FireWire port. Check to make sure that your computer does before making any hasty purchase decisions.

4. Other Solutions

This shouldn’t be considered an exhaustive list, but there are many other ways of connecting a microphone to your computer. For example, you could use an M-Audio Black Box (affiliate link) – which is esentially a USB device, but was built specifically for guitar – to connect a microphone to your computer. The Black Box has a built-in XLR mic input, and a mic pre(amp) that can be used to record via a microphone. I’ve personally used this method, and it works pretty decently. You won’t get the best sound quality, but if you’re a guitarist, it’s pretty easy to figure out how to use.

David Andrew Wiebe has built an extensive career in songwriting, live performance, recording, session playing, production work, investing, and music instruction. In addition to helping musicians unlock their full potential, he also continues to maintain a performance schedule with Long Jon Lev and Adrenalize. If you'd like to be notified whenever the blog is updated, click here to subscribe.